Franchises and multi-location brands have a PR advantage: one story can often work in many places.
The mistake is treating every market the same.
A franchise press release needs two things at once: a clear brand message from the top, and local details that make the story matter to each community. Get both right, and you avoid sounding like a faceless chain. You sound like a business with roots.
Start with the shared message
Every franchise release should begin with the central news.
Are you opening new locations? Expanding into a region? Launching a seasonal campaign? Hiring local teams? Supporting a cause across your network?
That core message gives the release structure, keeps the brand consistent, and helps journalists understand why the announcement matters beyond one storefront.
For example, a home services franchise announcing 12 new locations across three states has a broader growth story. But each local market may care most about new jobs, the owner’s background, or the neighborhood being served.
The brand story gets attention. The local angle gives it relevance.
Add local proof
Local media do not want a national announcement with their city name pasted into it. They want a reason their readers should care.
Each market version should include local details such as:
- The city, neighborhood, or service area.
- The local franchise owner’s name and background.
- Number of jobs created.
- Opening date or event details.
- Local partnerships or community involvement.
- A quote from someone tied to that market.
You do not need to rewrite the whole release. Often, you can keep the main body consistent and adjust the headline, opening paragraph, quote, and local facts.
That is where many brands miss the opportunity. They distribute one broad release and hope local reporters will connect the dots. Reporters are busy. Do the connecting for them.
Keep the brand voice consistent
Franchise PR gets messy when every location writes its own announcement without guidance.
One location sounds polished. Another sounds like a coupon flyer. Another buries the news under a long founder story.
The fix is a simple press release framework. Give local owners a structure they can follow:
- A clear headline.
- A news-focused first paragraph.
- One short brand paragraph.
- One local quote.
- One customer or community benefit.
- Basic contact information.
This keeps the message clean while giving each location room to sound human. You are not trying to control every word. You are trying to protect clarity.
Use quotes wisely
Quotes are where franchises can add warmth.
A corporate quote can explain the larger strategy. A local quote can explain why the market matters.
For example, “Demand for convenient senior care continues to grow across the region,” is a brand-level quote.
“As someone who grew up in Lancaster, I’m proud to bring this service to families here,” is a local quote.
The second one gives the story a person.
Avoid quotes that sound like brochure copy. No one talks in “world-class solutions” unless they are being held hostage by a marketing department.
Choose distribution by market
A franchise announcement may need national, regional, and local distribution. The right mix depends on the news.
A major expansion, acquisition, or leadership announcement may justify national distribution. A single new location usually needs a local push. A multi-market campaign may need both. For multi-market announcements, a service that includes press release distribution through Cision PR Newswire can help create broad visibility before you layer in regional and local outreach.
Think in layers: national visibility for the brand story, regional outreach for growth, local media outreach for each market, and trade media when the story shows a larger trend.
The goal is not to send more. The goal is to send smarter.
Give local owners a PR kit
Franchisors can simplify this with a small launch kit.
Include a release template, approved boilerplate, sample quotes, media contact guidance, photo suggestions, and a short checklist. This helps owners participate without turning every announcement into a custom project.
When news happens, you are not starting from zero.
Make the story bigger than “we opened”
New location announcements are useful, but they are not the only story.
Franchise and multi-location brands can issue press releases around hiring, local milestones, anniversary celebrations, charitable campaigns, awards, customer trends, seasonal demand, and expansion plans.
The best stories show movement. That matters because the franchise sector continues to grow, giving local expansion stories a larger business context when the news is framed well. What changed? Who benefits? Why now? Answer those questions and you have a stronger release.
One message, many markets
Franchise PR works best when the brand provides the backbone and each market adds the heartbeat.
The central message keeps the company consistent. Local details make the story worth covering.
That balance is the whole game. Too much corporate language, and the release feels distant. Too much local improvising, and the brand loses focus.
Start with one clear message. Then adapt it with care.
That is how a franchise turns one announcement into many coverage opportunities.
Mickie Kennedy founded eReleases.com in 1998 after watching PR firms charge small businesses a $20,000 minimum for a single press release. For 27 years, he’s been closing that gap — distributing 150,000+ releases via Cision PR Newswire, serving 30,000+ clients including Manscaped, Squatty Potty, and 40+ Shark Tank brands, and generating $132M+ in earned media. A sought-after podcast guest and two-time Amazon bestselling author of Beginner’s Guide to Writing Powerful Press Releases and The PR Strategy Manifesto. Mickie holds an MFA in Creative Writing from George Mason University. Based in Baltimore, MD. LinkedIn